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Holidays
These are the holidays celebrated by the Kaleidoscopic Path January New Year: January 1st February Imbolc/Candlemas: February 2nd Imbolc is a celebration of the efforts of the God to charm the Goddess out of her wintry sleep. This day is important for Christians to honour the Virgin Mary by burning candles in a procession on this date. Common theme: Devotion to the Goddess Ritual practice: Imbolc or Candlemas is a day to honour the Sacred Feminine by either burning candles or offering flowers at a shrine in honour of the Sacred Feminine. Imbolc also coincides with the feast day of St. Brigid, a Druid who dedicated her life to tend to women’s health in particular during childbirth. March Ostara/Easter: March 21st Ostara Easter can be celebrated on March 21st as well as the first Sunday after the full moon occurring on or after the spring equinox. Ostara is the celebration of the coming of spring and the return of life after winter. Easter shares this theme by celebrating the resurrection of Jesus after his descent into the realm of the dead. Common theme: Rebirth Ritual practice: There are many ways to celebrate life. One way that links both the Pagan and the Christian beliefs is the blessing of the elements this involves the blessing of water and fire while burning incense to sanctify the altar. Flowers are also laid around the altar. The blessing of the elements can also be performed in your own home with your own personalized ritual and the holy water can be used to bless yourself and your home. May Beltane/May Day: May 1st May Day is a festival that has been somewhat lost with time. On May Day young girls walked behind the statue of the Virgin Mary to indicate that they were old enough to get married. Beltane is a fertility festival where people perform the May Pole dance. Common theme: Fertility Ritual practice: A way to commemorate fertility is through a symbolic representation of the copulation of the God and Goddess to bring life back on earth. Any two items that represent feminine and male virility that can be combined into a state of completeness works for this. It is a day to be more relaxed, a little frivolous, as well as going out with someone special or to try and fight that special someone. June Litha: June 21st, St. John the Baptist: June 24th Litha and the feast day of St. John the Baptist commemorate the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, and the beginning of the harvest season. Common theme: It is a time when the sunlight and solar energies are the most potent and is a time to commemorate the strength of the sun and to soak up its energies and gifts. Ritual practice: A common practice is the lighting of bonfires. August Lammas/Loaf Mass: August 1st Loaf mass dates back to the early Church, when it was common to make an offering of the first fruits of the harvest as a sign of thanksgiving though it is no longer celebrated in the church. On August 1st, people brought bread that was baked with the freshly harvested wheat so it could be blessed during the church service. Like Loaf Mass, Lammas celebrates the harvest and the blessing of livestock. Common theme: Giving thanks for the wheat harvest Ritual practice: Baking and sharing bread is a common practice and relates to Christians commemoration of the Eucharist. Lughnasadh: August 1st September Mabon/Thanksgiving: September 21st Common theme: Giving thanks for the harvest Ritual practice: Preparing a meal for friends and family and giving thanks for a bountiful harvest as well as our other blessings. October Samhain/Halloween: October 31 Samhain is a holiday to celebrate our ancestors. It is believed that on this day the veil between the world of the living and the dead is thinner and the dead are able to crossover and interact with the living. Common theme: Remembrance of our ancestors Ritual practice: It is a day to make offerings to the ancestors and interact with the spirits like when they were a live. It is a day that teaches that just because someone has passed doesn't mean they are gone. December Krampusnacht: December 5th It is a holiday where men dress up as Krampus, drink a bunch of alcohol before running through the streets scaring children and frightening delinquents. Yule: December 21 Christmas: December 25 Yule is celebrated on the winter solstice, the longest night of the year. The date for Christmas was chosen by the Roman Emperor Aurelian in the third century, to coincide with the feast of the Unconquered Sun and it is because of this that there is a strong association with the power of the sun. Many pagan traditions were incorporated into Christmas. The Christmas tree, which was a Germanic tradition, was introduced by Boniface. It is also believed that Santa Claus is an amalgamation of St. Nikolas and the Norse god Odin. Common theme: Encouraging light in times of darkness. This light is represented in various ways: the unconquered sun, the star of Bethlehem, Jesus as the light of the world, or simply by the ritual use of candles. Ritual practice: Burning candles throughout the night is a practice shared by both Pagans and Christians and a midnight mass is still performed by Christians. Information Source 1 pagangreen.com